VOTERS in Pontypridd could lose their political voice through Government plans to reduce the number of constituencies in Wales, local Labour MPs have warned.

The UK Government plans to reduce the number of Welsh seats in Westminster from 40 to 30, which could potentially lead to a single MP representing constituents both in the Rhondda and Pontypridd.

On January 11, the Boundary Commission will release a draft document outlining the precise new boundaries in Wales as the Government seeks to equalise the number of constituencies across the UK.

The changes could see Labour MPs doing battle with each other, with Rhondda MP Chris Bryant and Pontypridd MP Owen Smith potentially having to contest a single seat between them.

Both MPs expressed their concerns at the UK Government’s proposals to significantly reduce the number of seats in Wales, but insisted anything further than that was speculation.

Pontypridd MP Owen Smith said: “MPs are getting the draft next week, so until then it’s just speculation.

“We don’t know yet what will come out of the draft. We will have to wait and see precisely what the Boundary Commission proposes.

“What is clear already is that communities like Pontypridd and the Rhondda and elsewhere will potentially have representation from further afield in the future than they have had in the past.

“That’s a reflection on the Tory party’s decision to try and rig the next election by cutting the number of Labour MPs.

“I hope people will see through this attempt to rig the election boundary in Pontypridd and the valleys outside and cross all parties and refuse to accept a reduction.”

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said the plans were a clear attempt by the Tories to gain an advantage in the next election.

He said: “I think it’s very bad news that Wales will have less of a voice in Westminster because that is where a lot of the decisions concerning Wales are made – things like taxation and whether or not we go to war.

“Who knows what will happen to the seats in the valleys? But my biggest concern is that inevitably there would be less of a voice for the communities here.

“I can’t see how you could split the Rhondda up between different seats considering the geography.

“Whether I have to battle it out with Labour colleagues is neither here nor there.

“What matters is whether the voice of the Rhondda is heard loud and clear. The new boundary rules have been dawn up to give the Tories a partisan advantage and help them at the next election.

“Wales will have almost the same number of seats as it did in 1600, which is just ridiculous.”

There is still a chance that the boundary changes will be aborted altogether, with the proposals going to a vote in the House of Commons before they are passed.

A senior Welsh Labour source said: “It’s inevitable there will be some big battles [within Labour] but I don’t think there will be a huge amount of blood-letting. It will be difficult for the individuals concerned, but there won’t be much fall-out within the party as a whole.

“Labour isn’t the only party facing problems as a result of the boundary changes. It’s quite feasible that the Liberal Democrats could be wiped out in Wales.”